Construction and Design Problems

The procedures in use by the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, in the design and construction of airfield pavements, are described in this paper. The design procedures for heavy airplane wheel loads having been in use only since the beginning of the present war construction program, it is too early to forecast the ultimate service behavior of airfields of recent construction. However, to the extent permitted by the pressure of the war construction program and the demands of air traffic, the design and construction procedures have been verified by accelerated traffic tests utilizing heavy, rubber-tired earth-moving equipment. The service performance, under severe operating conditions, of pavements designed and constructed in accordance with these procedures, on the whole, has been extremely gratifying.